Ceiling fan



May 22, 1923.

M. M. GLASSER CEI LING FAN -Filed Nov. 8, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedMay 22, 1923.

UNITED STATES E945 gli MAURICE M. GLASSER, OF CHARLESTON,SOUTHACAROLINA.

CEILING FAN.

Application filed November 8, 1921. Serial No. 513,806.

17'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE M. GLAssEn, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State ofSouth Carolina, have invented.

certain new and useful Improvements in Ceiling Fans, of whichthefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to motor operated fans and particularly, althoughnot necessarily, to ceiling fans, a purpose of my invention being theprovision of a ceiling fan which provides simple and efficient means foreffecting the bodily oscillation of the fan wheel whereby vthe aircurrent pro'- duced by the fan is continuously diffused over aconstantly changing area.

I will describe'one form of fan embodying my invention and will thenpoint out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of fan embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view looking downwardly. y

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 looking upwardly. y

kFigure 4f is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the gearingcomprised in the fan shown in the preceding views.

Similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring specically to .the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, myinvention -in its present embodiment comprises a pipe orstandardyAradapted to be lsuitably fixed at its upper end to the ceilingto provide a support for the entire fan,.this standard carrying at itslower end a cup-shaped head I-I in` which is sustained an internal ringgear G, as clearly shown inFigure 3. At a point above the head H, thehorizontal portion 15 of a yoke Y is secured, the parl allel orverticalk portions 16 of the yoke being provided at their free ends withears 17 that may be secured to or formed integrally with the uppersection 18 of a socket member S. The socket member S consists of theupper section 18 and a lower section 19, the latter being also providedwith ears 2O which are adapted to aline with the'ears 17 and to besecured thereto by fastening members 21 such as screws, bolts or thelike. Each section consists of a ring the inner surface of which isconcaved to, cooperate with the other ring in providing a socket for thereception of aV ball. By virtue of the ears 17 and 20, the two sectionsare securely held in socket formation and rigidly sustained upon thestandard A byv means of the yoke Y. 'Adapted to work within the socketmem ber S is a ball member B which constitutes the casing of a motor Mas shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The lower "end of the motor shaftprojects beyond' the casing or ball member B and is there provided withthe usual fan wheelF. The upper end of the motor shaft which isdesignated at 22 is operatively connected to a counter-shaft 28 throughthe medium of a reduction train of gearing designated generally atl D.rIhe reduction gearing D is housed in a casing K and may be of anysuitable vform so long as the vrotation of the countershaft issufficiently reduced with respect 'to the rotational speed of the motorshaft to elfect the desired rotation of a pinion P fixed to the upperend of the counter shaft. Because of the distribution of weight, theball 1nember B normally occupies the position shown in Figure 1 whereinthe fan wheel F -is inclined with relation to the horizontal and thecounter-shaft 23 is inclined with relationto the vertical so that the`pinion P at all times meshes with the-ring gear G. When the motoroperates, the fan wheel F is caused to rotate and upon the driving ofthe counter-shaft 23 rotation of the pinion I is effected which causesit to traverse the path defined by the-ring gear G. Under this movement,the ballmember B is caused .to rotate about a lvertical axis or an axisdefined by the standard A, and under such movement the fan wheel Fduring its rotation by the-motor M is also caused to oscillate. Byvirtue of this movement of the fanl wheel a diffusion ofy the aircurrent produced continuously occurs over a constantly changing area. y

' It is to be lunderstood that the movement of the ,ball member B can bevaried depending `upon Ithe particularform of the gear G. For example,the gear G may be of star formation or elliptical so that with thepinion P constantly meshing therewith a corresponding movement of theball member B is effected which in turn causes the same movement of thefan wheel F.

An important feature of my invention is CII lil

the simplicity of construction of the fan, it being manifest that theball and socket members as ivell as the pinion and gear can be readilylubricated so as to insure of the smooth and unrestricted operation ofthe fan. The socket member spa-ns the greatest diameter of the ballmember, but being formed of two sections permits removal of the ballmember by a detachment of the lower section 19.

It is desirable that the movements of the ball shaped motor casingBrelatively to the socket S be restricted to movements which ivill notresult in twisting or straining to the point of rupture the electricalconducting Wires leading to the motor casing. When electrical conductingWires, such as indicated at U, are operatively7 attached to the motor,it is essential that the ball shaped casing B be held against completerotation in the socket while permitted to oscillate in the mannerdescribed. To this end, the socket S has formed in its inner ivall anobliquely extending or inclined groove, in-

i dicated generally at 24. which groove is formed in the inner walls of'both sections of the socket. A projection 25 on the outer ivall of theball shaped motor casing is very loosely received in the groove 24 andcoacts with the latter to prevent the complete rotation of the motorcasing relatively to the socket ivhile permitting oscillatory movementsof the former about varying axes. The projection 24 may be the head of aset screiv fast in the motor casing B as shown.

Although I have herein shown and described only one Jform of fanembodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and'modifications may be made herein Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claimis:

l. A fan comprising a supporting yoke, a socket carried by the yoke, amotor casing or spherical form mounted in the socket, a motor shaftextending from the casing, a fan Wheel on the shaft, a counter-shaftoperatively connected to the motor shaft, a gear fixed to the yoke, anda pinion on the counter-shaft and constantly meshing With the gearwhereby said gear operates to move the motor casing relatively to thesocket With a resultant oscillation of the fan Wheel.

2. A fan comprising a stationary yoke, a socket fixed to the yoke, amotor casing of sphericalI form movably mounted in the socket, a motorin the casing, a fan Wheel operable by the sha-ft of vsaid motor, and

means operable by the motor for moving the casing relatively to thesocket with the resultant oscillation of the fan Wheel.

3. A fan comprising a stationary yoke, a socket fixed to the yoke, amotor casing of spherical form movably mounted in the socket, a motor inthe casing, a fan Wheel operable by the shaft of said motor, and meansoperable by the motor for effecting movement of the motor casing tocause a predetermined bodily movement of the fan Wheel during itsrotation by the motor.

4. A fan comprising a stationary support'- ing yoke of U-formation, asocket member including a section fixed to the yoke and a socket sectionremovably associated with the yoke, a motor casing of spherical formmovably fitted in the socket member and balanced to normally occupy aposition Wherein the shaft of the motor is disposed at an angle withrelation to the vertical, a fan wheel fixed to the motor shaft, acountershaft extending from the motor casing, a reduction gearingoperatively connecting the counter-shaft and motor, a pinion fixed tothe counter-shaft, and a gear fixed to the yoke and arranged toconstantly mesh With said pinion, all for the purpose described.

A fan comprising a. motor, a fan Wheel operable by the motor, a ball andsocket mounting for the motor, and means operable by the motor foractuating itself to effect' a bodily oscillatory movement of the fanWheel.

6. A fan comprising a motor, a fan Wheel operable by the motor, a balland socket mountingfor the motor, said ball and socket mounting beingprovided with cooperating elements for limiting the movements ofthe ballmember thereof relatively to the socket member thereof, and means forbodily moving the motor within certain limits to effect oscillatorymovements ofl the fan Wheel.

7. Afan comprising a supporting yoke, ka socket carried by the yoke,said socket being formed With a groove kin its inner Wall, a n

motor casing or spherical form mounted in the socket, said casing -beingprovided with a projection loosely received in the said groove forlimiting the movements of the casing relatively to the socket, a motorshaft extending from the casing, a fan wheel on the shaft, acounter-shaft operatively connected to the motorshaft, a gear fixedy tothe yoke, and a pinion on the counter-shaft and constantly meshingYvvith the gear Whereby said gear operates to move the motor casingrelatively to the socket withl a resultant oscillation of the fan Wheel.

MAURICE M. GLASSER..

